Maria Bevans-Lopez

Yes, biochar provides several benefits not just storing carbon.
Biochar helps improve soil health by holding onto water and nutrients, which makes it easier for plants to grow. It also boosts the helpful microbes living in the soil, which makes crops grow better and keeps the soil healthier over time. Another big benefit is that it can help reduce pollution as it can trap toxins and keep them from moving into water systems. It also helps cut down the need for harmful fertilizers since it naturally boosts the soil's quality.

Yes, after I figured out my carbon footprint, I did look at the different choices they suggested to help reduce it. Some of them were pretty simple, like using transit, biking, or even just walking instead of driving alone at least once a month (or once a week if possible). They also suggested shopping at local markets and shopping smarter to cut down on food waste, and trying more vegetarian meals, even if it’s just once a week. In my household we eat a lot of meat, so it made sense why my food footprint was high, and it showed me that even small changes could help. There were also bigger ideas, like supporting family planning access and doing things at home to take care of nature. It was interesting to see how all these small steps add up.

I believe richer countries eat more meat than people in other places because its not only more easily accessible economically but also because people like having dietary options. It could also be due to cultural reasons. However, eating meat can increase our chances of developing diseases such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Meat consumption is also a huge contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Eating more meat also affects other people as it creates food scarcity ( through the overuse of resources) .